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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteTo view the public key saved on your computer, run cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub and substitute the path to your actual .pub file. A public key is safe to share when you intend to authorize access; a private key is not. If by “SSH key content” you mean the keys accepted by a server account, check that account’s ~/.ssh/authorized_keys instead.
First, identify which SSH key information you need
SSH key files can refer to different things. Your client identity is normally a public/private key pair: the public key can be installed on a server, while the private key proves your identity and must remain confidential. A fingerprint is a short identifier for a key, not the full key text. The server account’s authorized_keys file lists public keys that may log in to that account; it does not contain their matching private keys.
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Also distinguish the machine and user. If you generated the key on your laptop and use it to connect to a VPS or VDS, inspect the laptop’s SSH directory. Logging into the server does not reveal the private key stored on your laptop. The relevant ~/.ssh path belongs to the user whose identity or server account you are checking.
Find the public key on the computer that holds your identity
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Open a shell as the local user whose SSH identity you want to inspect. The tilde in
~/.sshrefers to that user’s home directory.#1 Best Overall
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List the SSH directory, including hidden entries:
ls -la ~/.sshOpenSSH identity names often include
id_ed25519orid_rsa; the corresponding public key commonly has the same name with.pubappended. A key may instead use a custom filename or location. -
Print the public key by using its actual public-key path. For example:
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pubThe output is usually a single line suitable for copying into an account’s authorized keys when you intend to grant that key access. OpenSSH says public-key contents do not need to be kept secret (OpenSSH ssh(1) manual).
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Generate the public-key text if the .pub file is missing
If you have the matching private key but not its public-key file, derive the public key without displaying the private key itself:
ssh-keygen -y -f ~/.ssh/id_ed25519Replace the example path with the actual private-key path. OpenSSH’s ssh-keygen -y option reads a private OpenSSH-format key and writes its public key to standard output. If the key is encrypted, you may be prompted for its passphrase (OpenSSH ssh-keygen(1) manual).
Show a fingerprint instead of the full public key
When you only need to identify or compare a key, print its fingerprint:
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ssh-keygen -l -f ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pubUse the relevant public-key file path. The -l option displays a fingerprint; it does not print the full public-key line. This is often the better choice when you need to verify which key is in use without sharing key text.
Inspect public keys accepted by a VPS or VDS account
After connecting to the server, inspect the home directory of the account whose login access you are checking:
cat ~/.ssh/authorized_keysThis file normally contains public-key entries authorized for that account. OpenSSH documents ~/.ssh/authorized_keys and ~/.ssh/authorized_keys2 as default locations when the server’s AuthorizedKeysFile setting has not been changed. An administrator can configure a different path, so the file shown here may not be the one sshd actually uses (OpenSSH sshd(8) manual).
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Reading the server’s authorized-key list is not a way to recover a client’s private key. The server holds public keys accepted for login; keep the corresponding private identity file on the machine where it was created or is securely managed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Protect private-key files and troubleshoot common problems
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Do not disclose private-key text. Do not paste, publish, or email a private key. OpenSSH warns that identity files contain sensitive data and should be readable by their owner but inaccessible to others (OpenSSH ssh(1) manual).
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If the command cannot find a file, check the path and user. The shell may be running as a different account, or the key may have a custom name or location. Recheck
ls -la ~/.sshin the correct user’s shell.Best Value
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If
ssh-keygen -yfails, verify the input. Confirm that-fpoints to the private key, that the file is readable by you, and that it is in a supported format. An encrypted key requires its passphrase.What’s actually slowing this PC down?
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Do not assume the suffix proves a file’s purpose. The
.pubsuffix is a convention. Use the matching filename and appropriate command, and do not mistake a private identity file for public-key text.Quick Recap
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